Formula 1: Max Verstappen winner of the French Grand Prix

Published on : 06/20/2021 – 6:36 PM

The Formula 1 French Grand Prix was won on Sunday June 20 by the Dutchman Max Verstappen of the Red Bull team. He passed Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), who came second, on the penultimate lap.

This success, doubled by the point for the best lap in the race, allowed him to extend his lead from 4 to 12 lengths over the seven-time world champion in the drivers’ standings. The second Red Bull of the Mexican Sergio Pérez completes the podium of the seventh round of the season, ahead of the other Mercedes of the Finnish Valtteri Bottas. Among the constructors, this allows the Austrian team to carry its advantage over its German rival by 26 to 37 points.

A victory in the last kilometers

In front of 15,000 spectators – which makes it the most important event organized in France since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic – all had not started well for the poleman Verstappen, doubled by Hamilton after losing the control of his car at the first corner.

But an earlier pit stop, then a second shortly after halfway through the race – when Hamilton only changed tires once – allowed him to seal the victory in the final kilometers.

The McLarens have established themselves in the race as the third force on the field: Briton Lando Norris is fifth and Australian Daniel Ricciardo sixth.

The first Frenchman Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri), the Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Alpine) and the Aston Martins of the German Sebastian Vettel and the Canadian Lance Stroll follow in points. The Ferraris were struggling and only finished eleventh with the Spaniard Carlos Sainz Jr and sixteenth with the Monegasque Charles Leclerc.

Appointment is made next week for the Styrian Grand Prix, the first of two races in two weeks on the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.

With AFP